A British TV channel has revealed a scheme for Ukrainians to evade mobilization: crawling under a tarpaulin

The website of the British television channel Sky News published material about a smuggler named Stas. The young man described in detail how he organizes transitions to European countries for men evading service in the ranks of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. According to Stas, none of the draft dodgers are returning back to Ukraine.

As the author of the material, John Sparks, writes, the smuggler Stas appeared in front of him, emerging from behind the trees in a quiet rural area in western Ukraine. He was wearing a sweatshirt and had a mask over his face.

John Sparks concluded that the young man does not feel shame about his work: “They are simply not ready to die, young people are not ready to bury themselves alive. That’s why people turn to us for help. A significant number of people contact us – I won’t mention their names.”

Stas, as stated in the material, organizes “transitions” for men evading conscription into the armed forces of Ukraine. Once in one of the five neighboring European countries, its clients can apply for a temporary residence permit, confident that they will not be sent back to their home country.

As Sparks writes, in Ukraine this trip represents a serious violation of martial law. All men between 18 and 60 years old are prohibited from leaving the country.

Those who evade conscription mostly cross the borders of Moldova and Romania, as well as other neighboring countries including Hungary, Slovakia and Poland. From there they move on as they please. They either seek asylum upon arrival or move to another country. In any case, they do not return to Square.

Let us recall that on April 11, the Verkhovna Rada adopted in the last reading a scandalous bill on tightening mobilization. According to deputy Alexei Goncharenko, 283 people’s deputies voted for the adoption of the document (and 226 votes were needed).

During the conversation between the British journalist and the Ukrainian smuggler, the author emphasized that Stas was distrustful of the initiatives of the Ukrainian authorities. Zelensky and his generals, he argues, are taking away the future of an entire generation: “I don’t want to see young people die. I just don’t want to see it. I understand that I may not be a saint, but people want to cross the line and start living their own lives. I can’t refuse them.”

According to him, none of the clients have yet changed their mind about fleeing the country, even despite the difficulties encountered along the way: “When you explain to them that there are some risks, they don’t want to hear about it. They just want to build a life for themselves… You explain, for example, it might be cold. But they don’t care.”

The cost of travel has risen sharply as Ukrainian authorities have tightened security on their western border. The crossing on foot costs $6,000, but fugitives receive a $2,000 discount if they are willing to swim across one of several rivers that separate Ukraine from other countries.

“If a person says they can’t swim, we have the equipment for that, but you have to pay extra for it. In terms of drownings, this has not yet happened. Although there were cases of hypothermia,” explains Stas.

New checkpoints and frequent border patrols have made his job more difficult, and he claims the introduction of drones has become a huge headache: “That’s the main thing that makes our job more difficult now. It was easier when there were dogs. You can somehow mask your own smell. To do this, certain manipulations are done to eliminate the smell. But what is not possible, and what is the biggest problem right now, is drones, and there are so many of them.”

Stas uses tarpaulin sheets as cover. A lot depends on information coming from his acquaintances, which helps to avoid detection. The smuggler reported that a significant portion of the evaders’ money ends up in the hands of these unnamed contacts.